A Brighter Day
by LadyGambit
Summary: Inspired by a post by barryalin on Tumblr: Flash AU: Where Iris thinks everyone's teasing her when they say the world is only black and white until you meet your soulmate, because she's been seeing in color since she was a child, and when she asked Barry, he said he'd been the same. A short look into the Iris West journey into discovering her soulmate.


It was something that all the adults told her.

_You don't know the beauty of the world until you met your soulmate. With them, your eyes will start to capture all the wonder and magic of the world. You will begin to see it's many wonders. _

But young Iris West thought that the adults had their heads in the clouds, like her daddy sometimes said. For as far back as she could remember, she could always see her colors. All her colors. She could always see the way the suns ray bounced off the puddles on the sidewalk, and bounced off in a beautiful array of colors.

All the adults thought that she was so lucky.

And sometimes, on really special days, the colors sparkled and shined even brighter.

Those were her favorite days. Especially if she got to share them with her bestest friend in the whole world.

As Iris concentrated on her drawing, using up all the crayons she could scavenge from the other tables. She needed all of them to capture all the colors she saw when she was hanging out with her best friend.

_Isn't she so lucky. So young and already seeing so fully. _

As the bell rang throughout the small school, Iris yelped in victory, holding out her masterpiece in front of her. She couldn't wait to show Barry.

* * *

Iris West pushed herself of slowly from the ground, clutching the rope of swing tightly in her hand. Her dress softly flowed over the fallen leaves below, making them rustling slightly.

She was sure that the trail and ends would be dirty by morning, but at this moment, in the darkened yard, she couldn't bring herself to care. She rested her forehead against, the rope, trying her hardest not to let the tears fall.

When she was younger, she remembered everyone saying how lucky she was. She was one of those couple of children in her year that could already see their colors. They would get a chance to grow up with their soulmates, live their life to the fullest.

But what did it do her.

It's not like she could remember the exact moment that colors burst into her sight. Plus, with a small town, everyone knew she had seen colors so young. She should have known better… with all her 'sights', why didn't she it coming?

The sudden emergence of the porchlight in her vision broke her out of her thoughts.

"Iris?"

Leaning against the doorway stood Barry Allen. She didn't respond, she didn't trust her voice to not deceive her.

The movement of the swing must have betrayed her presence, and soon after, Barry started to make his way over to her. Iris ducked her head down, fervently trying to wipe the tears off her face.

"What's wrong? I thought you and Andy were having a great time."

At the sound of that traitors name, a gurgled cry escaped Iris throat. Warm hands slowly made their ways up her arms, as Barry crouched in front of her.

"Iris, what happened? What did he do? I thought you said he might be the one?"

Iris shook her head, and looked away, shame slowly creeping through her. Moments later, new tears spilled from her eyes, as Barry pulled her slowly off the swing and into his chest.

"He couldn't even see colors!" she mumbled into his chest, as they began to sway back and forth.

"What was that?"

Iris pushed herself off his chest and tried her best to compose herself. She took a few calming breaths, before she tried to speak again.

"He couldn't see colors."

"That asshole!"

"I know."

"Well he doesn't deserve you! He wasn't worthy to be your soulmate."

Iris blushed, already feeling the warmth the Barry words always brought to her.

"I hope that bastard never gets to experience colors. He should have the opportunity to witness you in its splendor."

"Barry stop it!"

"No come on. Let's not mope about silly guys, there is actually a great meteor shower…."

Barry rambled on, making his way towards his telescope, pulling her with him.

And once again, Iris felt lucky.

For having a friend whose color shone so bright.

* * *

_Sometimes you have to be surrounded by a deep darkness, to properly see the light. _

It was another one of those sayings that Iris hated that adults always said.

_You will always find it where you least expect it. Right under your nose. _

Correction, that might be the saying that Iris hated the most.

Iris West always considered herself a smart girl. So really, she shouldn't be blamed for noticing something that she knew was so obvious now.

How was she supposed to know that he was there all along?

All her life, all she had known was color. And warmth. And Barry Allen.

She didn't know what it was to live a life without that. Without color. Or warmth, or Barry Allen.

But as she sat her, in the cold hard hospital chair, her color dulling and the warmth seeping out of her, Iris knew what that life was like.

Her vision flashed black and white, as the heart monitor flatlined once again, and Iris could only scream at the pain as the medical staff rushed in once again, to resuscitate her friend…. _her soulmate._

As the colors came back into focus, her mind in a sensory overload, Iris prayed and promised to herself, that if Barry made it out of this alive (_**because he had to, life would not be that cruel, could it?**_) that she would never take the colors for granted ever again. She would focus on all their glamour and wash in their warmth.

As the machine signaled another flatline, the colors washed away once more, Iris prayed harder.

* * *

Though her colors had been dull for the past couple of months, Iris kept hope alive.

With every visit, every conversation she had with Barry, the colors and warmth slowly danced in her peripheral, never quite encompassing, never fully gone.

She soldiered on, remembering all the their moments together, and moving her life forward, as Barry would have wanted her to.

But she always kept her senses open, waiting for the call that would let her know, that everything would be okay.

And this time, when the colors started to fill her vision again, in their full candor - their glow dancing amongst themselves, Iris took full notice.

She slowly set the coffee mug on the clients table, she took her time to take him all in.

The way the sunshine made his hair glow just right. The color of his eyes just sparkling against the color of his skin, so playful and happy.

The brightness of his smile reeled her closer to him, and as she approached, she threw herself in his arm, holding him tight. His laughter warmed her ear.

She sighed and whispered in his,

_**"**__**My days are always brighter when you are around."**_


End file.
